when the cat's away, the mouse will clean out the garage

AK has been in Seattle for the past few days. Yesterday, she called me from the road. "It's great seeing people," she said, "but it's kind of nice being by myself in the rental car for a little while and getting to stop for food whenever I want."

In other words, the extrovert had reached her limit. I've used my time to geek out introvert-style, meaning I have:
  • cleaned out the garage*
  • cleaned almost everything else, although I didn't get to wash the walls, liked I dreamed I would
  • written--just the normal amount
  • taken three yoga classes
  • finally (maybe) figured out how to use the flash drive my dad gave me for Christmas in like 2007
  • made an omelet with cheese, which AK hates
  • watched Anchorman
And now I've reached my limit. It's been fun being a nerdy hermit (and as soon as I'm done with this post, I'm going to curl up with a bean-filled Japanese dessert and my book about the supreme court), but I think I'm just about done. I need AK back, and I need her to remind me that I like talking to humans and, sometimes, listening to loud music.

It's funny how couples cast themselves in these little roles: I'm the introvert, she's the extrovert; I'm OCD, she's messy, etc. Within our sample population of two, it's true that we are at opposite ends of a couple of spectra. But if we actually looked at the whole population, we'd see that we're probably just on different sides of the middle. Maybe because I crashed an abnormal psychology class last night (long story), I'm inspired to draw a scientific diagram of the introversion/extroversion spectrum to illustrate my point.

A-------------------------------B-------C--------------------------------------------D

A=J.D. Salinger
B=Cheryl
C=AK
D=Heidi and Spencer

Okay, I'm going to stop now. Just by drawing it, I put myself a little too close to the whackjob end of all scales for comfort. Now on to the charming drama of the appellate process!


*We don't have a real garage. We have a garage door that opens to a sliver of storage space--basically a false front that can pass as a garage in front of building inspectors. So it actually doesn't take long to clean out.

Comments

"I crashed an abnormal psychology class last night"

...Damn, you DO need to get out of the house.
Cheryl said…
I did. I got out and went to an abnormal psych class at Cal State L.A. (I was AK's proxy while she was away...I volunteered mostly because it's fun to introduce yourself to a professor by saying, "Hi, I'm the proxy.")
Claire said…
I'm definitely more on the Salinger side of your diagram, but I never clean as an expression of my introversion, rather as an expression of my tolerance for dirt has been reached. More power to you though.

Last time I washed walls was probably in the mid 80s. Took convincing from Mom that that was something people even did.
Cheryl said…
I don't think introversion and neatness are related except for the fact that they reside together inside me, and don't so much in AK. (Although I should add that she did a beautiful job mopping the floors before she left. She cleans; it's just not as much a religion for her.)
CC said…
As AK, I feel the need to point out that:
* I was happy to stop for food whenever I wanted because I AM A RAVENOUS EATER WHO CANNOT EAT A MERE 3 MEALS A DAY. I think I eat 6-7 times every day. Hopefully small meals?
* I only made you attend that abnormal psych class because it was the first session and otherwise the prof wouldn't let me add.
LOL-- I think I need to attend abnormal Psychology class to find out what is my real problem.. I think I already know such as can be a *snobbish bitch* that I was labeled by my dad.

Anyway, your feeling is normal to get things when you want AK to go away for a few days or a few hours. I once in a while want to "kick" David and the boys out so I can accomplish my house chores. They are not so neat, either, but they are lovable. That's probably why we are attracted to our soul mate.
Cheryl said…
I do think opposites (if not quite polar opposites) attract. A little mess is healthy for me.
Cheryl said…
P.S. AK, thanks for elaborating. You'd also be justified in adding that you're not really so messy. Just compared to the chart-making, muffin-cutting Kleins.

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